Composite sheet for index-strips.



J. H. RAND, JR.

COMPOSITE SHEET FOR INDEX STRIPS. APPLICATION FILED DEC.10.1914.

1 ,1 85,538. Patented May 30, 1916.

1 ADAMS JOHN II i DAMS SAMUEL I ALLEN JOHN 191351086686, J7fu671707f .JZmzcZ y M M QEW JAMES H. RA ND, JD, 01' NORTH 'IONAWANDA, YORK.

COMPOSITE SHEET FOR INDEX-STRIPS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES H. RAND, Jr.,

a. citizen of the United States, and resident of North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have 1nvented new and useful Improvements 1n Composite Sheets for Index-Strips, of which the following is a specification. In indexes or indicators of the kind comprising a frame or panel in which a large number of adjustable and interchangeable card or paper strips are supported, bearing lists of names, or other indexed matter, much difliculty has been experienced in type writing the desired data on the strips and in inserting them in large groups into the index panel in a predetermined orderly arrangement. The strips are usually made of heavy paper or cardboard and are relatively lon and narrow. When the strips are inscriImd by hand less diflicult is experienced, although even then the .car s are so narrow that it is awkward to write them by hand. But when they are typewritten, as is customary'and desirable both for the sake of clearness and legibility and to save time, especially'in large indexes containing perhaps hundreds of card strips, it has been necessary either to use some form of special typewriter attachment for holding the in ivi- -dual strips on the platen in-position to receive the typewriting, or to typewrite the index titles in a column on a ard sheet large enough to go into the typewriter in the usual way, and'then to cut or separate the large sheet into strips each containing one 'indexed title. In furtherance of this latter practice it has also been proposed to perforate or score the sheet in parallel lines to aid in separating or tearing apart the strips; this, however, leaves ragged edges, endangers the destruction or in ury of the strips in separating them, and takes time. Furthermore, whether the strips are first cut and then printed with the aid of some special attachment, or first printed on a continuous sheet and then cut into strips, the finished printed strips are produced individually and must be put into the index frame individually and therefore slowly.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome these objections, and to produce a composite sheet for making index or indicator strips, wherein the individual strips are clearly and completely severed one from another, but are separably Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 10, 1914. Serial No. 876,563.

Patented May 30, 1916.

connected together by a flexible and removable binder, so that the subject-matter of the index may be typewritten on the strips composing the sheet. in' the same way as upon a continuous sheet of paper or cardboard, and thereafter the flexible removed leaving the several independent, but in proper serted into the index groups, if desired.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate certain embodiments of the invention,Figure 1 is a front view illustrating a composite sheet containing the invention in its preferred from; Fig. 2 is a rear view of said sheet; Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the pre ferred mode of inserting the finished strips into an index panel; and Fi 5 is a. front view illustrating a modificatlon of the invention. I

The composite sheet consists of a number ofrelatively long and narrow index or indicator strips a, of paper, cardboard or other suitable material, and each of the desired dimensions for receiving the name or other inscription accordin to the subject-matter for whichthe index 1s to be used. These index strips are arranged side by side with their longer edges in close juxtaposition as shown, and are separably connected together in sheet form by means of one or more flexible and removable binder elements. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the binder elements consist of a pair of strips b of textile fabric, coated on one side with gum, mucilage or other suitable adhesive, arranged transversely of the index strips a and near the ends thereof, and temporaril stuck to the rear side of the series of in ex strips. Thus a flexible sheet is formed which may be easily bent or rolled to 0 into an ordinary typewriter, compose of the index strips a separably connected together by the flexible and removable binder strips 6. After the subject-matter of the index has been printed on said composite sheet, the sheet is laid face down and the binder strips 6 are peeled off, the adhesve being such as to strips free and order to be inpanel all together or in allow this without injuring the index strips,

and the index strip are left wholly separated from one another, and in the same orderly arrangement in which they were printed.

If it should be desired to insert the index strips into the index frame all at once or in groups in the same order in which they binder may be upper part of n edge of the board a, (Fig. Then the binder strips b are peeled off leaving the disconnected strips (1. as already described. Then another card or board d is laid on the strips a and board a. The index strips 0. are thus held between the two boards 0 and without disarrangement, and with their ends rojecting clear of the boards (Fig. 3).

hile thus held the projecting ends of the index stri s are placed all together in the usual gui e channel formed by the flange e at one side of the index frame or panel f. The boards 0 and d are then removed and the strips 0 lie on the index frame with one end under the flange e and the other end on the outside of the opposite flange e, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 4. The user then springs the overlying ends of the index strips under the guide flange e in the manner indicated by the hand in Fig. 4, until all are in position as shown in the Fig. 4. the modification shown in Fig. 5, the

index strips a of cardboard or the like, are arranged side by side as before, but the flexible binder elements by which the strips a are temporarily connected together to form a sheet, consist of threads or cords g threaded through the strips (1 edgewise. When the strips a are to be separated the threads or cords g are pulled out, leaving the stripsdisconnected but in order, as before. As the threads or cords g pass through the body of the strips (1. either sideof the composite sheet may be deemed the face, and no marks or stains are left by the binder elements after their removal, as might happen when the binder is applied externally.

I claim 1. A flexible composite sheet of the character "described, comprising a number. of

relatively long and narrow index strips completely severed from and independent of one another arranged side by side with uxtaposition', andone their longer edges in i or more flexible and removable binder elements extending transversely of said index strips by which said index strips are separably connected, said sheet being composed of paper adapted to be received and retained by an index frame when detached from the binder elements.

2. A flexible composite sheet of the character described, comprising a number of relatively long and narrow index strips completely severed from and independent of one another arranged side by side with their longer edges in juxtaposition, and a pair of flexible and removable binder elements arranged transversely of and near the ends of said index strips, by which said index strips are separably connected, said sheet being composed of paper adapted to be received and retained by an index frame when detached from the binder elements.

3. A flexible composite sheet of the character described, comprising a number of relatively long and narrow index strips arranged side by side with their longer edges in juxtaposition, and one or more binder strips of textile fabric arranged transversely of said index strips and removably secured thereto by an adhesive, whereby said index strips are separably connected, said sheet being composed of paper adapted to be received and retained by an index frame when detached from the-binder elements.

4. A flexible composite sheet of the character described, comprising a number of relatively long and narrow index strips ar- JAMES H. RAND, JR.

Witnesses:

ROBERT CUSHMAN, Josarnms H. RYAN. 

